An Elf's Tale
by CaptainRounds
Summary: Follow the journey of a young women who ends up playing an important role in the quest to take back Erebor. Along the way she makes friends where she had once thought impossible, and perhaps finds a little love in the process. However, something's happening to her, she can feel it in her heart. Will she make it to the end of the journey in one piece, or will she be changed forever?
1. Chapter 1

**An Elf's Tale**

_**Prologue**_

I was never one for adventures. I was one for reading and writing, studying and learning; never did I think in a million years I would go on an adventure others would have died to go on. One that would shape my future, and that of the world around me; one that would change me forever.  
I was just your average person, going about, oblivious to the things around me; never seeing the big picture. Life revolved around schoolwork and good grades. I had a very selfish perspective of life, and often failed to realize that there was an entire world apart from me, and that I wasn't the center of it all. But then again, so did most people on Earth.

I never did anything interesting in the first 17 years of my life. Of course, I did have talents and hobbies, and I often put them to great use, but nothing interesting happened to me. Life was the same every day. I worked and studied, drew and played music, repeat. But I was just fine with that. Like I said, I was never one for adventure. Change wasn't my thing.

So why was I here? How did I end up in such a place that practically spells adventure? How was it that I happened to be in the right place at the right time? I feel I may never know. These questions used to enter my mind all the time, but not anymore. I've accepted it now. I guess that once you've seen the things I have, anything seems possible, and you learn not to question anything anymore.  
So this is my adventure. One that follows a journey of friendship and hope, and one that will follow me forever.

It all began in a little town in New York…

**Chapter 1**

"GET UP!" I heard, followed by a banging on the door that, based on the cracking noises it was now beginning to make, threatened to be thrown off its hinges.  
I groaned and rolled over after checking the ungodly hour at which I was being woken up. 4:30 A.M. Yay for me. Burying my face in the pillow, I silently seethed at having to get up this early.

I'm not sure why I had to get up that early every morning. In fact, I hadn't really though much of it until now. I didn't do much of anything in the mornings. But, oh well I suppose. Haven't got to worry about that any more have I?  
I was planning on taking a walk into town that day. I figured it'd do me good to get out of the house and see some friends. Maybe it'd clear my head a bit. Boy, if I only knew...

It was a small town, hardly even noticeable if you weren't looking for it. Nothing much happened there for it contained little more than a gas station and town store. Everyone in the town knew each other. It was a very close knit community.

The people were very quiet but every once in in a blue moon a traveler would pass through. They were always easy to spot. They knew nothing of our little town and more often than not were very obnoxious; or at least they were to the simpletons that inhabited the town. They could never get enough pictures. I've always hated tourists; something about them just irks me. I lived on the outskirts of this town, quite frankly in the middle of nowhere. My land was located in the middle of a rather vast, thick, forest.

The house itself was relatively small. I lived there with my mother, father, and my younger brother. My family was a typical family; father a construction worker, mother a nurse, brother an idiot. We didn't make much money, but that was the same with pretty every family those days. It was a nice and quiet life there you know, being isolated and all.

However, while you may be thinking we lived in complete and utter isolation with no contact to the outside world, that wasn't completely true. I of course went to school, and had friends. Ok, well I had like three. But we were close. You could say that my best friend was Austin. We were practically the same person save for him being a guy and I a girl.

I will admit at times it could be frustrating being so far away from the center of town, but we learned to deal with it. We provided for ourselves. But anyways, back to my 'oh so fateful walk' that morning.

I donned my coat and gloves seeing as how it was the start of fall, and in those parts of New York, it was already frigid outside this time of year.  
I stepped past the threshold of the front door and blew out a long sigh as the cold wind bit at my face. Damn it was cold. Just then realizing it would have been smart to have brought a scarf and hat; I inwardly shrugged and took off nonetheless. I wouldn't be gone for too long... or so I had thought.

It was a very brisk morning, even more so than usual, serving as a dreadful reminder to the lengthy, harsh winter to come. Snow had yet to fall as September had only just begun, but the frigid air sure made up for it. The wind howled around me as I bowed my head and walked at a rather normal pace down the street, hands shoved deep into my coat pockets.

At this early hour in the morning there was hardly anyone up, so the walk was peaceful and it left me to my thoughts. I thought back over the past few weeks. I had been having this overwhelming feeling of disappointment in a sense that I hadn't really done anything with my life. It was rather silly given I was only 17 but I still couldn't shake the feeling. I never went anywhere or saw anything. I never did crazy things with my friends. I never ever went to parties or any social gatherings for that matter. I wasn't bored by any means; it was just that I felt I needed to do something interesting. Something people would recognize me for. Like I said, it was a silly thought.

This past week had marked the beginning of my senior year in high school. It was both an exciting and mellow notion to think about. Going to such a small school was going to make the whole "saying goodbye" happenstance at the end of the year that much harder. However, I couldn't wait to actually be able to start my life with college and all that crazy stuff that you really don't think much of until your senior year.

My friends were probably some of the best people in my life. The ones who understand you, who actually know you. They were going to make my senior year worth it ten times over. I knew that once I left high school, I wouldn't have to worry about leaving them, as we would always stay friends, and that was a comfortable thought.

I caught myself grinning like an idiot when I returned from my bout of thinking. I also found myself in a place I hadn't recognized. That was strange. I had taken that route to town at least 400 times. I knew it better than anyone else. How on earth had I ended up here? And what a curious place; a forest. A very dense forest. But these weren't my woods, in fact I had never seen them before in my life. I took in my surroundings and realized I hadn't even been following a trail. Surly I would have noticed if I had wandered off somewhere, entranced by my thoughts or not. I was surrounded by darkness, which was odd since it couldn't have been any later than 6AM. I looked to the sky in search of the sun, but found that a majority of the sky was covered by the trees' over growth. That's when I felt myself being pelted in the face with something. Rain. The wind had stopped, and it was beginning to rain, quite a contrast from the weather earlier. My confusion only continued to grow as I noted the nature of the trees around me. They were unlike any I had seen before, and I knew my fair share of trees. They were tall. Very tall. A rather uncommon trait for trees in northern New York. They were very dense with leaves, which also possessed a pattern and shape I had yet to ever see. My confusion turned to fear, and my fear to terror.

You know that feeling you get when you think you are being watched? Yeah, me too. A chill passed through me, and I didn't have time to question anything more as I felt something solid connecting with the back of my skull. A split second of sharp pain, and then blackness.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

When I came to, the first thing I noticed was a pounding sensation in the back of my head. It took a substantial amount of energy to open my eyes, and I regretted my decision to do so as soon as I had. The room I was in was blindingly white; to the point where it triggered an obnoxious ringing in my ears, and I felt nauseated. I shut my eyes almost immediately, and the pain seemed to dissipate a bit. With a little more caution, I shielded my eyes and proceeded to open them slowly, allowing them to adjust to the glaringly bright light.

When my sight finally focused, I noticed that there was no artificial lighting in the room. How odd. The room itself was even more peculiar. It seemed exceedingly open. A large balcony protruded from the far wall, only a few pillars separating the room from the rest of the world. Based on the looks of the room from the inside, its architecture was unlike any I had seen before.

The bed I was lying in was bleach white and looked to be about twin sized. I was covered in some rather warm linen sheets. When I looked down, I realized my clothes had obviously been changed. In place of my sweatshirt, overcoat, and jeans were loose fitting trousers and a tunic of some sort. Surely people didn't wear clothes like this anymore? They were comfortable and, if I had to guess based on the quality of the material, expensive as well.

When I came back from my thoughts I once again felt a terribly painful sensation in the back of my head. It felt like I had a head splitting migraine. Literally. I struggled to remember what had happened and how I had ended up in such a strange, unrecognizable place; but my struggle was in vain. For the life of me I couldn't remember anything useful. I recall leaving the house and walking down the street towards town, but everything after that was a blur. By this point I was beginning to become frightened, and a tad bit frustrated. I needed answers.

Ironically, as soon as the thought had crossed my mind, the door on the wall to the left swung open, and in came two figures. Both were of a very tall build, but one was obviously much older than the other. He was in possession of a long wooden staff with a sort of crystal stationed at the top. Endowed with flowing grey robes, a matching pointed hat, and a lengthy grey beard, the first man stepped aside, his staff clicking against the stone floor, allowing me to get a better look at the second man. He looked significantly younger, and as opposed to his companion, bore neither facial hair nor staff. His long brown hair was pulled away from his face and gathered into a ponytail at the base of his neck. And while he looked young, the worry lines etched into his face suggested perhaps he had been alive longer than I had previously thought. Elegant robes surrounded the man's body, and he walked with a grace that had me entranced. He seemed very regal. What I noticed next came as a bit of a shock to me. His ears. They were... Pointed. Pointed ears were something I had only heard of in myths and fairy tales. Surely I was seeing things. The shock must have been evident on my face for both parties gave a rather knowing smirk.

I blinked a few times, and the two slowly approached the end of the bed. The older man was the first to speak.

"Good morning, Alethea. I hope you are faring well?" He said with a smirk plastered on his face, as though he was amused my apparent confusion and internal suffering.

My name. He knows my name. I open my mouth to reply but no noise comes out. I figure I must have looked like a fish out of water. I snapped my jaw shut and simply nodded my head, saving myself from any further embarrassment.

"I am glad. It seems as though you suffered quite the injury," he starts, but that is when I try to interrupt and ask the question that has been gnawing at my mind since I first woke, however, he does not allow it and silences me by holding up a hand. This man practically seeped power.

"Ahh, I understand you have questions, and I do believe that they shall be answered in time, however, now is not that time. We came to see how you were recovering, and it is obvious that you will be fully healed before long. Only then will I attempt to answer any questions you may have, but for now, rest my child, for I'm afraid you will need as much of it as you can glean." He explains, the smirk suddenly erased from his face as he seemed to think about his last statement. I could have sworn I saw worry flash across his eyes for a second.

With that, the pair turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" I cried. They craned their necks to look at me, their bodies soon following order. Shoot. I hadn't thought of what I was actually going to say.

"Umm... Wh-Who are you?" I asked in a much smaller voice than before.

Now, with a full-fledged smile, the first man said "I am Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey. And this is Lord Elrond, ruler of Rivendell, home of the elves."

As I let this new information sink in, I didn't even notice as the two shared a smile and left the room. I found myself staring at the far wall. That had solved nothing. I had more questions now than I had before they had come in. Surely this was a dream. Maybe if I closed my eyes I'd wake up and this chaos would go away. However, as I attempted to dose off, I couldn't help the feeling of despair that passed through me as deep down I realized that this, whatever it was, was not going away anytime soon.

Upon waking up the second time, I felt much more invigorated. The pain I had felt in my head the day before had calmed a bit, and I felt much more energized. I had no way of telling what time it was, but if I had to guess, based on the sun shining into the room, it couldn't have been past 5 in the morning. The sun cast an almost surreal orange glow about the room.

I threw the covers back and slid my feet off the bed and onto the cold stone floor. I attempted to stand up, which proved to be a much more difficult task than I had anticipated. I swayed with dizziness and fell back into a sitting position onto the bed. Wow. Maybe I had been out longer than I had originally thought. I gave myself a few minutes to regain my wits and tried standing again, much slower this time though. Allowing my body to adjust to the sudden movements, I took small steps towards the end of the bed. Once I had reached it, I felt much more confident in my ability to walk like a fully functioning human being rather than a new born foal.

It felt fantastic to be able to walk; however, I knew that these few moments of freedom were going to cost me later when my body decided to tell me just how exhausted it really was. But for now I was going to make the most of it. I made my way over to the balcony. Stepping out and into the sunlight, I heard myself gasp loudly at the sight before me; it was truly breathtaking. Rivendell, was it? What a beautiful place; real or not. The buildings, mostly white, glowed with the light cast from the rising sun, creating an amazing picture. It was like a scene from a fantasy movie, one that was surely only fictional. One that everyone wished they could live in. Beauty like this wasn't existent in the place in which I came from. The world I knew was dirty, and run down by creatures known as people: factories and smoke; pollution and trash. Not... This. Not crystal clear water settled at the base of an enormous waterfall; not architecture that would have had Michelangelo quivering in his shoes; surely not the serene vibe of peacefulness and harmony projected by the inhabitants of the city. I was in awe. I was glued to my spot, unable to tear my gaze away from the scene in front of me. How long I stood there, I know not. I felt entranced. That was, until I heard a deep voice mumble from behind me.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I spun around quickly; however, my body disagreed with the sudden movement. I felt dizzy again and closed my eyes, but managed to regain my composure. When I opened my eyes I saw the man who identified himself as Gandalf, leaning on his staff. Smiling. Why was he always smiling like he knew something no one else did? It was almost frustrating.

I eyed him skeptically, suddenly feeling very on edge. I never replied. I had a feeling it was a rhetorical question anyhow.

"Relax dear. You are much too tense. I simply came to inform you of the feast that is to take place in about an hour. You are welcome to join us of course but you are in no way expected to show. If you are not feeling up to it I suggest you dine here tonight." He finishes with yet another smile.

All of a sudden I realized just how hungry I actually was. Then I heard the embarrassing growl of my own stomach and looked up to see Gandalf chuckling silently. I glared at him but nodded nonetheless, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth.

"Ahh now you're starting to warm up," Gandalf said with a warm smile.

"I shall perhaps see you in a bit my child. But if I do not, I bid you farewell. Goodnight." He says.

"Goodnight." I say quietly as he turns around to walk out of the room.

For the rest of the day I didn't do anything of much interest. I explored the rather vast room I was currently being housed in, taking note of the curious tapestries and paintings hung about on the walls. One wall was supporting a large stone bookshelf, much like one you would find in a public library. The amount of books that were being stored in just this room was exceptional. It was a puzzling amount of books for a room made for one. However, I was not arguing as reading was quite a passion of mine. It was like Christmas. I grabbed a leather bound book, watching the dust fall from the cover as it slid off the shelf then proceeded to choke on it. Good going Alethea. It looked unbelievably old. It practically creaked as I opened it. It was obvious that its owner had taken a liking to this particular book. When I looked down at the page I was baffled. It obviously was not written in English. Or any other language I was familiar with. The letters were flowing, and the words were almost beautiful in a sense. However, it didn't stop the disappointment I felt at the discovery. No reading for me. I placed the book back where I originally had taken it from and continued my pacing around the room, getting used to being back on my feet again.

That night dinner was most definitely brought to my room as I was having a hard enough time attempting to stop myself from losing consciousness from sheer exhaustion. When I had finally lain back on the bed and let my mind wander freely, the events of the past few days crashed into me full force. However, before the emotional roller coaster could have any effect on my state of mind, my body decided it was time to sleep; I could ponder life and have my mental breakdown a different day.


End file.
